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PaperclipPerfector  4mo ago (text post)   3725 thread views

Small-Scale Question Sunday for January 7, 2024

Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?

This is your opportunity to ask questions. No question too simple or too silly.

Culture war topics are accepted, and proposals for a better intro post are appreciated.

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In the specific case of software engineer layoffs, replaceability isn't the issue. They weren't replaced. Their employers got rid of their positions and expected profits went up, which meant that whatever they were doing wasn't producing enough to pay their salaries. So, their mistake was not just to think they were irreplaceable, nor was it to neglect that other employees and capital were needed for them to their jobs.

They must not have understood that what they were doing was not nearly as valuable as they thought.

I agree.

I believe that people in tech (both employees and their employers) have been overestimating their value and replaceability/redundancy.

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